Method of electro-coating a semiconductor device
AssigneeEnergy Conversion Devices, Inc.
InventorsPrem Nath, Timothy J. Barnard, Dominic Crea
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Abstract
A non-destructive method of electro-coating a preselected pattern of electrically insulating or conducting material onto a semiconductor device which includes a photoresponsive junction. The method includes the step of illuminating the semiconductor device prior to initiating the flowing of electro-coating current therethrough. The method has particular utility in providing electroplated grid patterns and connections on large area photovoltaic cells. Also disclosed is the use of current generated by a photovoltaic cell to effect the electro-coating thereof.
Claims32
An improved method of electro-coating a preselected pattern upon a first surface of a semiconductor device, said semiconductor device including photoresponsive junction means disposed between the first surface and a second surface thereof, the method including the step of:
- disposing said semiconductor device in an electro-coating apparatus which includes an electrolyte bath;
- illuminating said semiconductor device for activating the photoresponsive junction means;
- and
- providing electrical current, from a source external to said semiconductor device, to the second surface of said semiconductor device, said activated photoresponsive junction means providing for the flow of electrical current from the second surface through said photoresponsive junction and to the first surface of said semiconductor device, whereby a pattern electro-coated deposit is formed upon the first surface of the semiconductor device without damaging said photoresponsive junction thereof.
An improved method of electro-coating a preselected pattern upon a first surface of a semiconductor device, said semiconductor device including photoresponsive junction means disposed between, and generally co-planar with, the first surface and a second surface thereof, the method incluidng the steps of:
- disposing said semiconductor device in an electro-coating apparatus which includes an electrolyte bath;
- illuminating only those portions of the semiconductor device corresponding to the preselected pattern so as to form an illuminated image on the first surface thereof;
- and
- providing a flow of electrical current, from a source external to said semiconductor device, to the second surface of the semiconductor device, said illuminated portions of the semiconductor device adapted to activate said photoresponsive junction means to provide for the flow of electrical current from the second surface thereof through said photoresponsive junction of said illuminated portions to superadjacent portions of the first surface corresponding to the preselected pattern, whereby a pattern electro-coated deposit is formed upon the first surface of the semiconductor device without damaging said photoresponsive junction thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.